Chiefs Week: Northview Cheerleaders
December 15, 2012
The Northview High School cheerleaders were there in the Citrus Bowl last weekend, cheering on the Northview Chiefs as they won the Class 1A state championship.
For a photo gallery, click here.
It’s Chief’s Week on NorthEscambia.com — we will continue our look back at Northview’s Class 1A state championship win through the weekend. Coming up tomorrow, more of our hundreds of photos from the Citrus Bowl.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pictured: The Northview High School cheerleaders in Orlando’s Citrus Bowl. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Florida Misses Obamacare Health Care Exchange Deadline
December 15, 2012
With a Friday deadline for states to notify the federal government if they plan to run health-insurance exchanges, Florida officials said they do not have enough information to move forward with an exchange.
The stance, which echoes positions taken earlier by Gov. Rick Scott and legislative leaders, means it is virtually certain the federal government will run an exchange for Florida when the key part of the Affordable Care Act takes effect in January 2014.
Jackie Schutz, a spokeswoman for Scott, said in a prepared statement that the governor’s office is working to schedule a meeting with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
“At this time we do not have sufficient information on the cost of implementing a state health care exchange to Florida taxpayers, Florida businesses or Florida health insurance purchasers,” Schutz said. “We are looking forward to getting more information from HHS and the president.”
States were supposed to submit letters Friday if they intend to run exchanges in 2014.
Katie Betta, a spokeswoman for Senate President Don Gaetz, said in an email that Florida did not submit such a letter. If states do not run exchanges, the federal government will do it for them. States can request later to run exchanges, which will be online marketplaces where people can shop for health coverage.
Millions of Americans will receive subsidies to help buy insurance through the exchanges.
Lawmakers are expected to consider the exchange issue when they meet in spring 2013. Florida Republican leaders took few steps to carry out the Affordable Care Act after President Obama and congressional Democrats passed it in 2010. But after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld most of the law in June and Obama was re-elected in November, legislative leaders began grappling with issues such as the exchange and a potential Medicaid expansion.
By The News Service of Florida
26 Dead In Connecticut Elementary School Massacre
December 15, 2012
As many as 26 people — most of them young children — were killed Friday in a mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.
Connecticut State Police lieutenant J. Paul Vance told reporters the fatalities included students and staff, and that the gunman involved also was dead. The officer did not give a complete report on casualties, saying the priority for authorities at the scene was to notify the children’s parents and other relatives.
An official from the governor’s office says Governor Dan Malloy was “horrified” by the tragedy and rushed to meet with the children’s family members.
President Barack Obama called authorities in Connecticut to express his sadness, and pledged to help with federal resources.
The shooting took place Friday morning at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
Photos and video images from the scene showed children being rushed out of the school, but it took several hours before the full scope of the tragedy to become known.
The White House said President Obama spoke with the FBI director about the case, and was receiving frequent briefings.
A tearful President Barack Obama expressed “overwhelming grief” for the victims of the shooting rampage and called on Americans to set aside politics and “take meaningful action” to prevent more tragedies of this kind.
“Our hearts are broken today,” Obama said, his voice breaking at times during a nationally televised appearance in the White House briefing room.
[VOA] Photos courtesy Melanie Stengel/New Haven Register.
Two Injured In ECAT Transit Bus Crash
December 14, 2012
Two bus passengers were injured when an ECAT transit bus was struck by a car Friday morning on Highway 29.
The Florida Highway Patrol said bus driver Sharon Purifoy, 52, of Pensacola, had slowed just south of Airport Boulevard in preparation for a bus stop about 7:22 a.m. The bike rack on the bus made contact with the side of a Toyota Camry driven by 59-year old Angelika Nelson of Pensacola when Nelson attempted to turn in front of the bus and into a Tom Thumb parking lot.
Two of the six bus passengers complained of minor injuries in the crash. Nathan Thomas, 17, and Vicki Woods, 49, were transported to area hospitals.
The bus suffered about $500 in damage in the crash, while the Toyota received about $1,000 in damage, according to the FHP.
Nelson was cited for an improper right turn,according to FHP.
McDavid Man Charged With Striking Deputy With Truck, Multiple Felonies
December 14, 2012
An Escambia County deputy is recovering and a McDavid man is behind bars following an incident in which an arrest attempt ended with the deputy being struck by a truck.
Senior Deputy Rudy Brown was on routine patrol when he stopped to check on the BP gas station in Davisville last Friday morning. When he entered the store, he recognized Yancey James Thompson who had felony warrants and a revoked driver’s license. Thompson fled the store in a blue Ford truck at a high rate of speed. Brown attempted unsuccessfully to follow Thompson, and later discovered that the pickup had been abandoned back behind the gas station.
Later, Brown was on patrol in Walnut Hill when he stopped at Mike’s Ag Air on Highway 97 where he observed Thompson. He approached Thompson, called him by name and told him he was under arrest for three active warrants. Thompson replied, “I ain’t going back to jail,” according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report. Thompson then moved toward a white Chevrolet dually truck that was idling nearby.
Thompson got into the vehicle at about the same time Brown arrived at the truck door, the report states. Brown again told Thompson he was under arrest, opened the driver’s door and took hold of the steering wheel with his left hand. Thompson, the report states, again said stated was not going back to jail.
He then floored the accelerator in the truck, causing the back tires to spin and started to drag the deputy toward a field. Brown let go of the vehicle and attempted to get away, but he was struck by the the rear of the dually truck, injuring his back.
Thompson fled the area at a high rate of speed and eluded capture from responding backup deputies.
Wednesday, Thompson surrendered at the Escambia County Jail on charges of aggravated battery on a police officer, resisting an officer with violence, driving while license suspended as a habitual offender and failure to appear for a a felony offense. He is also charged with withholding child support, and violating probation on charges of possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon, destroying evidence, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and resisting arrest without violence.
He remained in the Escambia County Jail Friday morning without bond.
Senior Deputy Rudy Brown is continuing to recover at home from his injuries and is expected to return to work soon, Sgt. Mike Ward, spokesman for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, said late Thursday afternoon.
Pictured top: Yancey James Thompson. Pictured below: Senior Deputy Rudy Brown (left) is presented a a Life Saving Medal last year by Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Suspect Arrested In Thursday Night Pensacola Murder
December 14, 2012
One man is dead and another man was taken for questioning after a murder Thursday night in Pensacola.
Scott R. Mason, 44, of the 2200 block of West Gadsden Street, was charged with an open count of murder just before 3 a.m. Friday. The victim has been identified as Matthew A. Nestle, 18, of the same address.
Pensacola Police Department Lt. Doug Baldwin said Mason reported the shooting to police around 6:40 p.m. Thursday. He then waited at the scene for officers to arrive.
Baldwin said the two men got into an argument that escalated into an altercation, a gun was produced, and Nestle was shot multiple times. It is not yet known why the men were
arguing.
The Pensacola Police Department and the Gun Crime Response Team are continuing their investigation Mason is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Century’s Gonzalez Designated As Certified Municipal Clerk
December 14, 2012
Century Town Clerk Leslie Gonzalez has now officially earned the designation of Certified Municipal Clerk from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.
“I am honored to endorse the conferring of CMC to Leslie Gonzalez, CMC of Town of Century. We share your pride in this achievement and we applaud your support of the role Leslie plays in your city,” IIMC President Brenda Cirtin said Thursday.
Gonzalez began working toward certification in October 2010, shortly after being named Century’s town clerk, at the Florida State University’s Institute of Government. Gonzalez was president of her clerk class of 20 and was the speaker at the graduation ceremony that made her eligible for the certification awarded this week.
Pictured: Century Town Clerk Leslie Gonzalez (left) is congratulated by Florida Association of City Clerks President Kelly Koos of Lakeland last month during her graduation ceremony. Submitted picture for NorthEscambia.com.
Meeting For All Escambia Farmers Next Week
December 14, 2012
A meeting for Escambia County farmers will be held Tuesday.
The meeting will give Escambia County producers an opportunity to meet the county executive director, farm loan officer and program technicians that will be serving the newly combined Escambia-Santa Rosa County Farm Service Agency.
The meeting will begin at noon with a sponsored meal at the Walnut Hill Ruritan Building at 7850 Highway 97 in Walnut Hill. All attendees must RSVP by Friday, December 14 by calling (850) 623-2441 ext. 2.
Chiefs Week: What Does It Take To Win State? (With Video)
December 14, 2012
For the Northview Chiefs, winning a state championship last Friday night was the culmination of months of work and conditioning that began back during the summer.
The video below,. produced by Northview Football, takes a look at the Chiefs during their off season start toward the ultimate goal of a state title.
Turn Up The Tunes? Supreme Court Strikes Down Radio Rules
December 14, 2012
Motorists are free to blast Justin Timberlake — or any other music they choose — as loud as they wish, the Florida Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.
The court unanimously struck down a state law barring drivers from blaring their radios at a volume that was “plainly audible” to someone 25 feet away. Three of the seven justices — Chief Justice Ricky Polston and Justices Charles Canady and Peggy Quince — didn’t fully support the reasoning behind the decision, but didn’t write opinions saying where they differed.
The ruling upholds the opinion of the 2nd District Court of Appeal, though the Supreme Court said the law was not unconstitutionally vague, one of the reasons the DCA gave for striking down the law. Instead, the high court said the law infringed on the freedom of expression.
Writing for the majority, Justice Jorge Labarga highlighted a part of the law that exempts commercial and political messages from the ban, saying that amounted to a restriction on certain kinds of speech, a violation of the First Amendment.
Labarga’s ruling was skeptical of the state’s argument that the ban was justified because it makes traffic safer — but said that didn’t matter.
“The State simply argues that noncommercial vehicles are more dangerous to the public because they are ubiquitous,” he wrote. “This argument, however, fails to explain how a commercial or political vehicle amplifying commercial or political messages audible a mile away is less dangerous or more tolerable than a noncommercial vehicle amplifying a religious message audible just over twenty-five feet away from the vehicle.”
The case was brought by Richard Catalano, a lawyer who got a $73 ticket for listening to Justin Timberlake on his way to work one morning in 2007. Catalano said he was surprised by the fine and decided to fight the law’s constitutionality in court. Alexander Schermerhorn also challenged the law.
Justices also rejected an argument from the state that it could chop off the exemption for business and political speech, though that portion of the ruling could also signal a way to work around the shortcoming.
“Severing the provision from the statute would expand the statute’s reach beyond what the Legislature contemplated,” Labarga wrote. “Accordingly, in striving to show great deference to the Legislature, this Court will not legislate and sever provisions that would effectively expand the scope of the statute’s intended breadth.”
A spokeswoman for Attorney General Pam Bondi said her office was reviewing the decision.
By Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida